Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01B—CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES
  • H01B3/00—Insulators or insulating bodies characterised by the insulating materials; Selection of materials for their insulating or dielectric properties
  • H01B3/02—Insulators or insulating bodies characterised by the insulating materials; Selection of materials for their insulating or dielectric properties mainly consisting of inorganic substances
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08K—Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients
  • C08K3/00—Use of inorganic substances as compounding ingredients
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08K—Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients
  • C08K3/00—Use of inorganic substances as compounding ingredients
  • C08K3/34—Silicon-containing compounds
  • C08K3/36—Silica
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08K—Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients
  • C08K9/00—Use of pretreated ingredients
  • C08K9/04—Ingredients treated with organic substances
  • C08K9/06—Ingredients treated with organic substances with silicon-containing compounds
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08L—COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
  • C08L23/00—Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
  • C08L23/02—Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers not modified by chemical after-treatment
  • C08L23/04—Homopolymers or copolymers of ethene
  • C08L23/08—Copolymers of ethene
  • C08L23/0807—Copolymers of ethene with unsaturated hydrocarbons only containing more than three carbon atoms
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08L—COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
  • C08L23/00—Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
  • C08L23/02—Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers not modified by chemical after-treatment
  • C08L23/04—Homopolymers or copolymers of ethene
  • C08L23/08—Copolymers of ethene
  • C08L23/0807—Copolymers of ethene with unsaturated hydrocarbons only containing more than three carbon atoms
  • C08L23/0815—Copolymers of ethene with aliphatic 1-olefins
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08L—COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
  • C08L23/00—Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
  • C08L23/02—Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers not modified by chemical after-treatment
  • C08L23/16—Elastomeric ethene-propene or ethene-propene-diene copolymers, e.g. EPR and EPDM rubbers
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C09—DYES; PAINTS; POLISHES; NATURAL RESINS; ADHESIVES; COMPOSITIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • C09D—COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES OR LACQUERS; FILLING PASTES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; INKS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; WOODSTAINS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR
  • C09D109/00—Coating compositions based on homopolymers or copolymers of conjugated diene hydrocarbons
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C09—DYES; PAINTS; POLISHES; NATURAL RESINS; ADHESIVES; COMPOSITIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • C09D—COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES OR LACQUERS; FILLING PASTES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; INKS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; WOODSTAINS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR
  • C09D5/00—Coating compositions, e.g. paints, varnishes or lacquers, characterised by their physical nature or the effects produced; Filling pastes
  • C09D5/24—Electrically-conducting paints
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01B—CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES
  • H01B3/00—Insulators or insulating bodies characterised by the insulating materials; Selection of materials for their insulating or dielectric properties
  • H01B3/18—Insulators or insulating bodies characterised by the insulating materials; Selection of materials for their insulating or dielectric properties mainly consisting of organic substances
  • H01B3/28—Insulators or insulating bodies characterised by the insulating materials; Selection of materials for their insulating or dielectric properties mainly consisting of organic substances natural or synthetic rubbers
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01B—CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES
  • H01B3/00—Insulators or insulating bodies characterised by the insulating materials; Selection of materials for their insulating or dielectric properties
  • H01B3/18—Insulators or insulating bodies characterised by the insulating materials; Selection of materials for their insulating or dielectric properties mainly consisting of organic substances
  • H01B3/30—Insulators or insulating bodies characterised by the insulating materials; Selection of materials for their insulating or dielectric properties mainly consisting of organic substances plastics; resins; waxes
  • H01B3/44—Insulators or insulating bodies characterised by the insulating materials; Selection of materials for their insulating or dielectric properties mainly consisting of organic substances plastics; resins; waxes vinyl resins; acrylic resins
  • H01B3/441—Insulators or insulating bodies characterised by the insulating materials; Selection of materials for their insulating or dielectric properties mainly consisting of organic substances plastics; resins; waxes vinyl resins; acrylic resins from alkenes
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01B—CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES
  • H01B7/00—Insulated conductors or cables characterised by their form
  • H01B7/02—Disposition of insulation
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01B—CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES
  • H01B9/00—Power cables
  • H01B9/006—Constructional features relating to the conductors

Definitions

• Various embodiments of the present invention relate to elastomer-based polymeric compositions comprising amorphous silica fillers.
• Other aspects of the invention concern articles of manufacture comprising such elastomer-based polymeric compositions as electrical insulation materials, such as in wires and cables.
• elastomer-based polymeric compounds used as electrically insulating materials employ approximately 60 parts-per-hundred polymer (“phr”) clay to achieve good processing performance in flexible cable applications.
• Clay fillers are generally required components of the polymeric composition since the elastomer extrudate quality is very poor at peroxide crosslink melt temperatures. Clay fillers resolve this issue by providing acceptable melt extrudate quality as well as providing sufficient melt strength to maintain cable concentricity.
• clay fillers also increase the electrical loss properties of the compound (e.g., cause a high tan delta) to a level much higher than the neat elastomer. Accordingly, improvements are desired regarding filler materials for such elastomer-based polymeric compounds intended for use as electrical insulation materials.
• One embodiment is a polymeric composition for use in coated conductors, said polymeric composition comprising:
• said filler consists essentially of an amorphous silica.
• compositions comprise an elastomer and a filler, where the filler consists essentially of an amorphous silica.
• These compositions may also optionally comprise an ethylene-based thermoplastic polymer.
• Such polymeric compositions can be suitable for use as electrical insulating materials in wire or cable applications.
• elastomer i.e., an elastomeric polymer
• elastomer denotes a polymer having viscoelasticity, and can be either a thermoset or a thermoplastic.
• Polymer means a macromolecular compound prepared by reacting (i.e., polymerizing) monomers of the same or different type.
• Polymer includes homopolymers and interpolymers.
• Interpolymer means a polymer prepared by the polymerization of at least two different monomer types.
• the elastomer is a thermoplastic elastomer.
• Elastomers suitable for use herein are ethylene/alpha-olefin (“ ⁇ -olefin”) elastomers, which can optionally also have polymerized therein one or more types of diene monomers (e.g., an “EPDM” elastomer).
• the elastomer is an interpolymer having polymerized therein ethylene and an ⁇ -olefin comonomer.
• the elastomer is a homogeneously branched linear ethylene/ ⁇ -olefin copolymer or a homogeneously branched, substantially linear ethylene/ ⁇ -olefin copolymer.
• the ⁇ -olefin monomers suitable for use in the elastomer component include C 3-20 (i.e., having 3 to 20 carbon atoms) linear, branched, or cyclic ⁇ -olefins.
• C 3-20 ⁇ -olefins include propene, 1-butene, 4-methyl-1-pentene, 1-hexene, 1-octene, 1-decene, 1-dodecene, 1-tetradecene, 1-hexadecene, and 1-octadecene.
• the ⁇ -olefins can also have a cyclic structure such as cyclohexane or cyclopentane, resulting in an ⁇ -olefin such as 3-cyclohexyl-1-propene (allyl cyclohexane) and vinyl cyclohexane.
• ethylene/ ⁇ -olefin elastomers include ethylene/propylene, ethylene/butene, ethylene/1-hexene, ethylene/1-octene, ethylene/styrene, ethylene/propylene/1-octene, ethylene/propylene/butene, and ethylene/butene/1-octene.
• the elastomer can be selected from the group consisting of an ethylene/propylene copolymer, an ethylene/ ⁇ -butene copolymer, an ethylene/ ⁇ -hexene copolymer, an ethylene/ ⁇ -octene copolymer, an EPDM, or combinations of two or more thereof.
• the elastomer is a copolymer of ethylene/ ⁇ -butene, ethylene/ ⁇ -hexene, ethylene/ ⁇ -octene, or combinations of two or more thereof.
• the elastomer is an EPDM.
• Elastomers suitable for use herein can have a density ranging from 0.85 to 0.93 g/cm 3 , 0.86 to 0.91 g/cm 3 , from 0.86 to 0.90 g/cm 3 , or from 0.86 to 0.89 g/cm 3 .
• Polymer densities provided herein are determined according to ASTM International (“ASTM”) method D792 or D1505.
• Elastomers suitable for use herein can have a melt index (I 2 ) ranging from 0.1 to 30 g/10 min., from 0.1 to 15 g/10 min., from 0.2 to 10 g/10 min, from 0.3 to 5 g/10 min., or from 0.5 to 2 g/10 min.
• melt indices provided herein are determined according to ASTM method D1238. Unless otherwise noted, melt indices are determined at 190° C. and 2.16 Kg (a.k.a., I 2 ). Elastomers suitable for use can have a Mooney viscosity ML 1+4 @ 121° C. or 125° C. in the range of from 10 to 90, from 15 to 70 or from 15 to 30. Mooney viscosity is determined according to ASTM D1646, where M represents Mooney, L represents a large rotor, 1 represents a 1 minute preheat time, 4 represents a 4-minute mark after starting the motor at which the reading is taken, and 121 or 125° C. represents the test temperature.
• Production processes used for preparing the above-described elastomers are wide, varied, and known in the art. Any conventional or hereafter discovered production process for producing elastomers having the properties described above may be employed for preparing the elastomers described herein.
• elastomers suitable for use herein include ENGAGETM polyolefin elastomers (e.g., ENGAGETM 8100, 8003, 8401, 8411, 8842, 8200, 7447, or 7467 polyolefin elastomers); AFFINITYTM polyolefin plastomers; and NORDELTM IP EPDM elastomers, all available from The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich., USA. Additional commercially available elastomers include EXACTTM plastomers and VISTALONTM EPDM rubber, all available from ExxonMobil Chemical, Houston, Tex., USA.
• the ethylene/ ⁇ -olefin-based elastomer can comprise a combination of any two or more of the above-described ethylene/ ⁇ -olefin-based elastomers.
• the polymeric composition comprises a filler, which consists essentially of an amorphous silica.
• the polymeric composition does not contain more than trace amounts (e.g., 10 parts per million based on the entire polymeric composition weight) of any other filler material.
• the filler consists of amorphous silica.
• the term “filler” denotes a chemically inert inorganic material.
• “Amorphous silica” denotes an inorganic filler that is amorphous (i.e., non-crystalline or low crystallinity) silicon dioxide (“SiO 2 ”).
• Amorphous silica lacks a long range order, and is to be distinguished from crystalline silica (i.e., quartz).
• Amorphous silica includes “fused quartz” or “fused silica,” which are silica glass of amorphous silica. These are made by melting crystalline silica (naturally occurring quartz) into a non-crystalline form. Additionally, synthetic fused silica can be manufactured through pyrolysis of silicon tetrachloride or vaporized quartz to form tiny droplets of amorphous silica which fuse into an articulated structure of particles. Such a form of synthetic fused silica is also known as fumed silica. Amorphous silica may also be precipitated from solution to form small porous particles which can fuse together in chains. Such a form of silica is known as a silica gel, which can be used to form silica aerogels.
• Adjusting the solution pH can keep the particles separated to form larger individual particles commonly referred to as precipitated silica or silica sols, all of which are forms of amorphous silica.
• the amorphous silica is solid at 22° C. and standard atmospheric pressure.
• the amorphous silica is selected from the group consisting of silica aerogels, fumed silica, and combinations thereof.
• the amorphous silica can be treated with a surface treatment.
• Such surface treatments include, but are not limited to, polydimethylsiloxane coatings and vinyl alkoxy silanes.
• wt % weight percent of the entire filler material, and may generally be less than 5 wt %, based on the entire filler weight.
• the polymeric composition contains no more than trace amounts of any filler (i.e., chemically inert inorganic material) other than the amorphous silica.
• fillers include, but are not limited to, materials composed of metal cations and silicates, such as clay (which is aluminum silicate, or Al(SiO 4 4 ⁇ )), talc (which is magnesium silicate, or Mg 3 (SiO 3 ) 4 ), sodium silicate (Na 2 SiO 2 (OH) 2 ), and calcium silicate (Ca 2 SiO 4 ), among others.
• Other filler types intended to be excluded include metal hydrates (such as magnesium hydroxide and aluminum hydroxide), metal carbonic acids (such as calcium carbonate), certain inert metal oxides (such as magnesium oxide and aluminum oxide), and carbon black.
• additives used in electrical insulation materials are not particularly excluded from use in the present polymeric composition.
• Such conventional additives include, for example, antioxidants, coupling agents, ultraviolet absorbers or stabilizers, antistatic agents, pigments, dyes, nucleating agents, polymer additives, slip agents, plasticizers, processing aids, lubricants, viscosity control agents, tackifiers, anti-blocking agents, surfactants, extender oils, metal deactivators, voltage stabilizers, crosslinking agents, boosters, and catalysts.
• Additives can be added in amounts ranging from less than about 0.1 to more than about 200 parts by weight for each 100 parts by weight of the base polymer.
• antioxidants are as follows, but are not limited to: hindered phenols such as tetrakis[methylene(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyhydro-cinnamate)]methane, bis[(beta-(3,5-ditert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl)-methylcarboxyethyl)]sulphide, 4,4′-thiobis(2-methyl-6-tert-butylphenol), 4,4′-thiobis(2-tert-butyl-5-methylphenol), 2,2′-thiobis(4-methyl-6-tert-butylphenol), and thiodiethylene bis(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxy)hydrocinnamate; phosphites and phosphonites such as tris(2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl)phosphite and di-tert-butylphenyl-phosphonite; thio compounds such as dilau
• cross-linking agents are as follows: dicumyl peroxide; bis(alpha-t-butyl-peroxyisopropyl)benzene; isopropylcumyl t-butyl peroxide; t-butylcumylperoxide; di-t-butyl peroxide; 2,5-bis(t-butylperoxy)-2,5-dimethylhexane; 2,5-bis(t-butylperoxy)-2,5-dimethylhexyne-3; 1,1-bis(t-butylperoxy)3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexane; isopropylcumyl cumylperoxide; di(isopropylcumyl) peroxide; or mixtures thereof.
• Peroxide curing agents can be used in amounts of about 0.1 to 5 wt % based on the entire weight of the polymeric composition.
• Various other known curing co-agents, boosters, and retarders can be used, such as triallyl isocyanurate, ethyoxylated bisphenol A dimethacrylate, ⁇ -methyl styrene dimer, and other co-agents described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,346,961 and 4,018,852.
• processing aids include but are not limited to metal salts of carboxylic acids such as zinc stearate or calcium stearate; fatty acids such as stearic acid, oleic acid, or erucic acid; fatty amides such as stearamide, oleamide, erucamide, or n,n′-ethylenebisstearamide; polyethylene wax; oxidized polyethylene wax; polymers of ethylene oxide; copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide; vegetable waxes; petroleum waxes; non ionic surfactants; and polysiloxanes.
• Processing aids can be used in amounts of about 0.05 to about 5 wt % based on the entire weight of the polymeric composition.
• Still other additives that are not to be considered fillers include polyethylene glycol; ethylenically unsaturated compounds having one or more Si(OR) 3 groups, such as vinyltrimethoxysilane, vinyltriethoxysilane, and gamma-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxy-silane;
• dibutyltin dilaurate dioctyltin maleate; dibutyltin diacetate; stannous acetate; lead naphthenate; zinc caprylate; and metal oxide stabilizers, such as lead oxide, zinc oxide, and titanium dioxide.
• the polymeric composition can optionally also contain an ethylene-based thermoplastic polymer.
• ethylene-based polymers are polymers prepared from ethylene monomers as the primary (i.e., greater than 50 wt %) monomer component, though other co-monomers may also be employed.
• thermal polymers are typically un-crosslinked polymers that become softer upon heating.
• the ethylene-based thermoplastic polymer can be an ethylene homopolymer.
• homopolymer denotes a polymer comprising repeating units derived from a single monomer type, but does not exclude residual amounts of other components used in preparing the homopolymer, such as chain transfer agents.
• the ethylene-based thermoplastic polymer can be an ethylene/ ⁇ -olefin interpolymer having an ⁇ -olefin content of at least 1 wt %, at least 5 wt %, at least 10 wt %, at least 15 wt %, at least 20 wt %, or at least 25 wt % based on the entire interpolymer weight.
• These interpolymers can have an ⁇ -olefin content of less than 50 wt %, less than 45 wt %, less than 40 wt %, or less than 35 wt % based on the weight of the interpolymer.
• the ⁇ -olefin can be a C 3-20 (i.e., having 3 to 20 carbon atoms) linear, branched, or cyclic ⁇ -olefin.
• C 3-20 ⁇ -olefins include propene, 1-butene, 4-methyl-1-pentene, 1-hexene, 1-octene, 1-decene, 1-dodecene, 1-tetradecene, 1-hexadecene, and 1-octadecene.
• the ⁇ -olefins can also have a cyclic structure such as cyclohexane or cyclopentane, resulting in an ⁇ -olefin such as 3-cyclohexyl-1-propene (allyl cyclohexane) and vinyl cyclohexane.
• ethylene/ ⁇ -olefin interpolymers include ethylene/propylene, ethylene/butene, ethylene/1-hexene, ethylene/1-octene, ethylene/styrene, ethylene/propylene/1-octene, ethylene/propylene/butene, and ethylene/butene/1-octene.
• the ethylene-based thermoplastic polymer can be used alone or in combination with one or more other types of ethylene-based thermoplastic polymers (e.g., a blend of two or more ethylene-based thermoplastic polymers that differ from one another by monomer composition and content, catalytic method of preparation, etc). If a blend of ethylene-based thermoplastic polymers is employed, the polymers can be blended by any in-reactor or post-reactor process.
• ethylene-based thermoplastic polymers e.g., a blend of two or more ethylene-based thermoplastic polymers that differ from one another by monomer composition and content, catalytic method of preparation, etc.
• the ethylene-based thermoplastic polymer can be selected from the group consisting of low-density polyethylene (“LDPE”), linear-low-density polyethylene (“LLDPE”), very-low-density polyethylene (“VLDPE”), and combinations of two or more thereof.
• LDPE low-density polyethylene
• LLDPE linear-low-density polyethylene
• VLDPE very-low-density polyethylene
• the ethylene-based thermoplastic polymer can be an LDPE.
• LDPEs are generally highly branched ethylene homopolymers, and can be prepared via high pressure processes.
• LDPEs suitable for use herein can have a density ranging from 0.910 to 0.930 g/cm 3 , from 0.917 to 0.925 g/cm 3 , or from 0.919 to 0.924 g/cm 3 .
• LDPEs suitable for use herein can have a melt index (I 2 ) ranging from 0.1 to 8.0 g/10 min Generally, LDPEs have a broad molecular weight distribution (“MWD”) resulting in a high PDI.
• LDPEs suitable for use herein can have a PDI ranging from 4.0 to 12.0. PDIs provided herein are determined by gel permeation chromatography.
• LDPEs examples include DFDA-1253 NT; DOWTM LDPE 132i; DOWTM LDPE 133A; DOWTM LDPE 501i; and DOWTM LDPE 535i, all available from The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich., USA.
• the ethylene-based thermoplastic polymer can be an LLDPE.
• LLDPEs are generally ethylene-based polymers having a heterogeneous distribution of comonomer (e.g., ⁇ -olefin monomer), and are characterized by short-chain branching.
• LLDPEs can be copolymers of ethylene and ⁇ -olefin monomers, such as those described above.
• LLDPEs suitable for use herein can have a density ranging from 0.917 to 0.941 g/cm 3 , from 0.918 to 0.930 g/cm 3 , or from 0.918 to 0.922 g/cm 3 .
• LLDPEs suitable for use herein can have a melt index (I 2 ) ranging from 0.2 to 1.5 g/10 min, from 0.3 to 1.0 g/10 min, or from 0.5 to 0.8 g/10 min LLDPEs suitable for use herein can have a PDI ranging from 2.5 to 16.
• LLDPEs examples include DFDA-7530 NT, and DFDA-7540 NT, both available from The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich., USA.
• the ethylene-based thermoplastic polymer can be a VLDPE.
• VLDPEs may also be known in the art as ultra-low-density polyethylenes, or ULDPEs.
• VLDPEs are generally ethylene-based polymers having a heterogeneous distribution of comonomer (e.g., ⁇ -olefin monomer), and are characterized by short-chain branching.
• comonomer e.g., ⁇ -olefin monomer
• VLDPEs can be copolymers of ethylene and ⁇ -olefin monomers, such as one or more of those ⁇ -olefin monomers described above.
• VLDPEs suitable for use herein can have a density ranging from 0.880 to 0.910 g/cm 3 , or from 0.883 to 0.886 g/cm 3 .
• VLDPEs suitable for use herein can have a melt index (I 2 ) ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 g/10 min, from 0.55 to 1.0 g/10 min, or from 0.60 to 0.90 g/10 min
• VLDPEs suitable for use herein can have a PDI ranging from 3 to 6, or from 4 to 5.
• VLDPEs examples include FLEXOMERTM VLDPEs, such as DFDB-1085 NT, DFDA-1137 NT, ETS 9078 NT7, and ETS 9066 NT7, each available from The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich., USA.
• the ethylene-based thermoplastic polymer can comprise a combination of any two or more of the above-described ethylene-based thermoplastic polymers.
• Production processes used for preparing ethylene-based thermoplastic polymers are wide, varied, and known in the art. Any conventional or hereafter discovered production process for producing ethylene-based thermoplastic polymers having the properties described above may be employed for preparing the ethylene-based thermoplastic polymers described herein.
• the polymeric composition can comprise the above-described elastomer component in an amount ranging from 40 to 98 wt %, from 45 to 85 wt %, from 50 to 80 wt %, or from 53 to 76 wt %, based on the entire polymeric composition weight.
• the filler can be present in the polymeric composition in an amount ranging from 1 to 50 wt %, from 5 to 40 wt %, from 10 to 32 wt %, or from 15 to 20 wt %, based on the entire polymeric composition weight.
• the ethylene-based thermoplastic polymer when employed, can be present in an amount ranging from 1 to 10 wt %, from 1.5 to 5 wt %, or from 2 to 3 wt %, based on the entire polymeric composition weight.
• the polymeric composition comprising the elastomer and the filler (i.e., amorphous silica), and optionally the ethylene-based thermoplastic polymer, can be prepared by any conventional or hereafter discovered methods.
• preparation of the polymeric composition can comprise compounding the above-described components.
• Compounding of the polymeric composition can be effected by standard equipment known to those skilled in the art. Examples of compounding equipment are internal batch mixers, such as a BrabenderTM, BanburyTM, or BollingTM mixer. Alternatively, continuous single or twin screw, mixers can be used, such as a FarrelTM continuous mixer, a Werner and PfleidererTM twin screw mixer, or a BussTM kneading continuous extruder.
• Compounding can be performed at a temperature of greater than the melting temperature of the elastomer or, if present, greater than the melting temperature of the ethylene-based thermoplastic polymer, whichever is greater, and up to a temperature above which the elastomer begins to degrade or up to a temperature at which the ethylene-based thermoplastic polymer, if present, begins to degrade, whichever is less.
• compounding can be performed at a temperature ranging from 100 to 230° C., or from 110 to 180° C.
• the polymeric composition can optionally be crosslinked. This can be accomplished by first preparing a crosslinkable polymeric composition in two steps. In the first step, the ethylene/ ⁇ -olefin based elastomer, the filler, and optionally the ethylene-based thermoplastic polymer are combined with the additives except the crosslinking agent (typically an organic peroxide) and compounded as described above. Then the temperature of this compounded mixture is lowered to 110 to 120° C. The temperature may be lowered by any number of procedures with the two most common practices being to either remove the compounded material from the mixer, cooling to less than 100° C.
• the crosslinking agent typically an organic peroxide
• the polymeric composition described above may be employed in either its thermoplastic state (i.e., un-crosslinked) or its thermoset state (i.e., crosslinked).
• a cable comprising a conductor and an insulation layer can be prepared employing the above-described polymeric composition.
• “Cable” and “power cable” mean at least one wire or optical fiber within a sheath, e.g., an insulation covering or a protective outer jacket.
• a cable is two or more wires or optical fibers bound together, typically in a common insulation covering and/or protective jacket.
• the individual wires or fibers inside the sheath may be bare, covered or insulated.
• Combination cables may contain both electrical wires and optical fibers. Typical cable designs are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,246,783, 6,496,629 and 6,714,707.
• Conductor denotes one or more wire(s) or fiber(s) for conducting heat, light, and/or electricity.
• the conductor may be a single-wire/fiber or a multi-wire/fiber and may be in strand form or in tubular form.
• suitable conductors include metals such as silver, gold, copper, carbon, and aluminum.
• the conductor may also be optical fiber made from either glass or plastic.
• Such a cable can be prepared with various types of extruders (e.g., single or twin screw types) by extruding the polymeric composition onto the conductor, either directly or onto an interceding layer.
• extruders e.g., single or twin screw types
• a description of a conventional extruder can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,857,600.
• An example of co-extrusion and an extruder therefore can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,965.
• the extruded cable can pass into a heated cure zone downstream of the extrusion die to aid in cross-linking the polymeric composition and thereby produce a cross-linked polymeric composition.
• the heated cure zone can be maintained at a temperature in the range of 175 to 260° C.
• the heated cure zone is a continuous vulcanization (“CV”) tube.
• the cross-linked polymeric composition can then be cooled and degassed.
• the extruded cable can pass into a cooling zone, such as a water trough, to be cooled.
• a cooling zone such as a water trough
• Alternating-current cables prepared according to the present disclosure can be low-voltage, medium-voltage, high-voltage, or extra-high-voltage cables. Further, direct-current cables prepared according to the present disclosure include high or extra-high-voltage cables. In an embodiment, the coated conductor is a medium-voltage cable. Additionally, cables prepared according to the present disclosure can have target voltage ratings ranging from 200 V up to 50 kV, from 1 kV up to 50 kV, from 1 kV up to 30 kV, or from 5 kV up to 45 kV.
• Density is determined according to ASTM D 792 or 1505.
• Mooney Viscosity is measured in accordance with ASTM D 1646 using the large rotor, a 1-minute specimen preheat time and taking the reading at 4 minutes after starting the motor.
• ASTM D 1646 the test is conducted at 125° C.
• ethylene-butene and ethylene-octene elastomers the test is conducted at 121° C.
• a TA Instruments Rheometrics SR200 is used to measure the creep and recovery times for the sample at a temperature of 190° C. using a 25-mm plate.
• the zero shear viscosity is calculated from this data using its rheological software that identifies a steady flow state and calculates the zero viscosity at this condition.
• An Instron Tester using Test Works Software is used to measure the flexural modulus. Testing is conducted per ASTM D790 using three point bending with a 2-inch span between the supports. A press-cured (i.e., compression-molded) plaque sample (1 ⁇ 2 inch wide, 125 mil thick) is used for the measurements.
• a Guildline High Voltage Capacitance Bridge, Model 9910A, is used on 50-mil thick press-cured (i.e., compression-molded) plaque specimens per ASTM D150.
• a silicone spray is applied to each side of the plaque to prevent the sample sticking to the instrument platens.
• the sample is placed in the test unit at room temperature.
• the unit's Oscilloscope (9430 detector) is turned on and a sensitivity setting of 1 is used.
• the Cx/Cs (capacitance setting) is adjusted to bring the two circles in the oscilloscope screen into phase to obtain one straight horizontal (flat/closed) line.
• a sensitivity of 2 is selected and the Cx/Cs (capacitance setting) is adjusted to bring the two circles in the oscilloscope screen into phase to obtain one straight horizontal (flat/closed) line.
• This same procedure is repeated for a sensitivity setting of 3.
• a sensitivity of 4 a similar procedure is followed and an initial dissipation factor is obtained from the equipment.
• the Cx/Cs (capacitance setting) is adjusted to bring the oscilloscope's circles in phase, and the dissipation factor control is adjusted until the circles condense into a flat line to obtain an exact dissipation factor reading. This exact dissipation factor is recorded for the sample.
• Sample preparation for press-cured samples involves compression molding the crosslinkable material in an electric Wabash Gensis press using a compression mold thickness of 50 mils or 125 mils.
• the press is operated by:
• the elastomer employed in this example is EPDM, and is commercially available under the trade name NORDELTM IP 3722 from The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich., USA.
• NORDELTM IP 3722 has a density range of 0.86 to 0.88 g/cm 3 and a Mooney viscosity (ML 1+4 at 250° C.) of 10 to 30.
• DXM-446 is an LDPE, which is prepared by The Dow Chemical Company. DXM-446 has a density ranging from 0.920 to 0.93 g/cm 3 and a melt index ranging from 1.8 to 2.6.
• Agerite MA is a polymerized 1,2 dihydro-2,2,4-trimethyl quinoline antioxidant, which is commercially available from R.T.
• KADOXTM 920 is zinc oxide, commercially available from Horsehead Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., USA.
• BURGESSTM KE is a commercially available clay filler, described as a surface-modified, calcined aluminum silicate.
• BURGESSTM KE is available from the Burgess Pigment Company, Sandersville, Ga., USA.
• ENOVATM IC 3100 is an amorphous silica aerogel available from the Cabot Corporation, Boston, Mass., USA.
• CAB-O-SILTM 720 is a fumed silica having a polydimethylsiloxane surface treatment, available from the Cabot Corporation, Boston, Mass., USA.
• FLOWSPERSETM PAC-473 is a silane in wax carrier, commercially available from Flow Polymers, LLC, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
• ANTILUXTM 654 is a paraffin wax, commercially available from Rhein Chemie Rheinau GmbH, Mannheim, Germany.
• Polydispersion ERD-90 is lead oxide in an EPDM rubber carrier, commercially available from Hammond Lead Products, Hammond, Ind., USA.
• PERKADOXTM BC-FF is a dicumyl peroxide, available from Akzo Nobel N.V., Amsterdam, Netherlands.
• the flexural modulus of CS A is 4,975 psi (34.30 MPa)
• flexural modulus of S1 is 6,146 psi (42.38 MPa)
• the flexural modulus of S5 is 6,622 psi (45.66 MPa).
• CS D contains no clay filler and 85.43 weight percent of NORDELTM IP 3722, but is otherwise identical to CS A-C, described above in Example 1.
• CS E contains 10 wt % clay filler (BURGESSTM KE) and 75.43 wt % NORDELTM IP 3722, but is otherwise identical to CS A-C, described above in Example 1.
• Crosslink Comparative Samples CS A, CS D, and CS E by adding 1.33 wt % peroxide to the samples and curing the samples according to the same procedure described in Example 2 and the Test Methods section, above.
• ENGAGETM 7447 is an ethylene-butene elastomer available from The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich., USA.
• ENGAGETM 7447 has a density ranging from 0.862 to 0.868 g/cm 3 , an I 2 of from 4.0 to 6.0 g/10 min., a total crystallinity of 13%, a Shore A hardness of 64, a DSC melting peak of 25° C. (rate 10° C./min), and a Tg of ⁇ 53° C.
• ENGAGETM 8200 is an ethylene-octene elastomer available from The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich., USA. ENGAGETM 8200 has a density ranging from 0.867 to 0.873 g/cm 3 , an I 2 of from 4.0 to 6.0 g/10 min., a total crystallinity of 19%, a Shore A hardness of 66, a DSC melting peak of 59° C. (rate 10° C./min), and a Tg of ⁇ 53° C. (DSC deflection point). The remaining components are the same as described above in Example 1.

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